Best Image format.

Discussion in 'Graphics & Multimedia' started by dhblewis, Mar 29, 2009.

  1. #1
    Hi

    I have a online store and would like to know the best image format to display my photos in.

    .jpg or .png
     
    dhblewis, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  2. dynashox

    dynashox Premium Member Staff

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    #2
    For me, .jpg and .gif is the best image format to use in a website.

    - Dynashox -
     
    dynashox, Mar 29, 2009 IP
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  3. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #3
    never use a .gif

    I'd lean towards PNG for everything except photos.

    If you save a JPG, never dip below 85% quality, I usually save it at high.

    As for GIFs, they are 256 colour.....if you have a PNG at 256 colour, it will be smaller - but PNG can do full colour lossless! use PNG for all non-photographic parts of your site, there's literally no need for GIF ever again (except animations)
     
    innovati, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  4. A.G

    A.G Well-Known Member

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    #4
    .JPG is the best , quality image and low size
     
    A.G, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  5. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #5
    JPG uses lossy image compression - it's not better than a lossless PNG.

    JPG was created by a group of photographers, on how to compress photographic data with the least amount of visual degradation.

    It's fine for photos, but things like menu graphics, anything with text - it just doesn't do it justice, even on high settings. And why should it - it was't designed for that.

    PNG is lossless, it saves PERFECT quality images, and because of that it's also going to be larger than an equivalent JPG, but you've gotta remember that the reason why is that JPG LOSES information every time you save it.

    JPG is a final format, for the very last time you save it. PNG is an editing format, that is also a final format - you can open and save and image 100 times and it won't lose a single pixel - because it's lossless.

    So yes, wikipedia has wonderful articles about the image file formats, they all exist for a reason, and we ought to use them for such!
     
    innovati, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  6. john3003

    john3003 Peon

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    #6
    Png is the best and has the highest image quality.
     
    john3003, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  7. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #7
    but, when you're saving photographs depending on the content, a full PNG may not be necessary.

    Know the formats, know when to use them.
     
    innovati, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  8. campolar

    campolar Peon

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    #8
    .GIF, Small size, good to use in website templates and themes

    .JPEG, Good for photographs and content for own use

    .PNG, Great quality, use if you want to show something CLEARLY or have a transparent background, it shows better than GIFs...
     
    campolar, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  9. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #9
    but, if you save a GIF, and then save it again as a PNG with the same settings as the GIF, the PNG is smaller.

    WHY would you use a format that's over a decade behind, when PNG is better anyway?

    there's no need for GIF for static images anymore, not only is PNG full-colour and lossless, but if you reduce it to the same limitations as a GIF it's smaller anyway.

    Now tell me again Campolar, why is GIF superiour to PNG for templates and themes? back it up with facts.
     
    innovati, Mar 29, 2009 IP
  10. Joomla Developer

    Joomla Developer Banned

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    #10
    PNG while designing and JPG while taking photos with DSLR :)
     
    Joomla Developer, Mar 30, 2009 IP
  11. ashwinkandel

    ashwinkandel Peon

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    #11
    its depends upon your work. If you are doing web designing work then .gif and .png will be fine and if you are not doing web work then .jpg. I say that .jpg has the best quality.
     
    ashwinkandel, Mar 30, 2009 IP
  12. karthimx

    karthimx Prominent Member

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    #12
    If you want the image to be transparent use PNG else use JPEG
     
    karthimx, Mar 30, 2009 IP
  13. Big0ne

    Big0ne Well-Known Member

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    #13
    For (web) pictures with no much colors I use .png
     
    Big0ne, Mar 31, 2009 IP
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  14. nellement

    nellement Active Member

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    #14
    JPEG for wide color range, GIFfor simple colors
     
    nellement, Mar 31, 2009 IP
  15. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #15
    THERE IS NO NEED FOR GIF ANYMORE.

    To everybody suggesting GIF, to a person who doesn't understand why, please justify your suggestions.

    TELL ME why GIF is superiour to PNG (for static images)

    So What makes gif better? Is it colour depth? Filesize? Compression algorithms? Support? Transparency?

    Back up what you're saying please, cause next person who posts non-factual information in here in this help thread, without at least TRYING to back it up or justify what they're saying, or read what's come before and been suggested gets reported as spam. That's what spam is - unjustified, unwanted, unhelpful information.

    For anybody coming here, so far the facts go like this:

    JPEG
    Never to be used, EXCEPT for one particular use: purely photographic content. When it's just a resized photo. Save it at 85% quality or higher.

    PNG
    Used in every other case: all graphics generated for layout, all photos with text on them, all images with transparency

    GIF
    NEVER to be used, unless an animation is required, but even then a standardized format like Flash is preferred because of its reliability. Yes, flash requires plugin (which everybody has), but GIF plays at different speeds between browsers and operating systems.


    So, please understand that this isn't my opinion, these are the facts, written here for somebody who is asking for the facts. Personally, I tend to use all PNG, or RARELY use JPEGS because they are lossy and I have high standards, also I do a lot of typography, which doesn't work well with JPEG anyway.
     
    innovati, Mar 31, 2009 IP
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  16. nellement

    nellement Active Member

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    #16
    Totally agree with you,I use png for most of the time on my site you will see JPegs and PNGs only,but sometimes GIF gives smaller size thats why it nice to have too.
     
    nellement, Apr 1, 2009 IP
  17. lordadel

    lordadel Active Member

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    #17
    I believe that it depends on what you will use it for..
     
    lordadel, Apr 1, 2009 IP
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  18. innovati

    innovati Peon

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    #18
    No it doesn't. GIF uses 256 colours maximum when saving images, so a GIF, although perfect quality, saves space by limiting the number of colours.

    Since PNG is ALSO a lossless format, but can have 16 million colours, it will save all of the colours.

    1) Try this, save any image you want as a GIF.

    2)Re-save it as a PNG

    3) check sizes.


    *OR* save it as a GIF, and save it as an 8-bit PNG with 256 colours.

    Either way, the result will prove that at the exact same quality and settings, PNG is smaller than GIF every single time.

    The reason why is because of the compression algorithms used. PNG is a newer and smarter format, and there's not way GIF can beat it.
     
    innovati, Apr 1, 2009 IP
  19. Vanditneel

    Vanditneel Active Member

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    #19
    I believe *.jpg format gives the best quality of photos at a small size whereas quality of *.png format is also good but their size is large.
     
    Vanditneel, Apr 4, 2009 IP
  20. Neil Bennett

    Neil Bennett Peon

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    #20
    Both are useful but depend on you that what want to do by this.
     
    Neil Bennett, Apr 4, 2009 IP